Read Online Raven: A political thriller by J.J. Franck - Free Book Online

said it was a misunderstanding. That the person had her
confused with someone else.”
    “Did she say who?” Don asked.
    “No. But she wasn’t concerned about it. Otherwise, I would have
advised her to contact the police.”
    Don accepted her answer and then looked over at the mantel again. He
turned back to Mrs. VanBuren and then asked, “What was she like?”
    Fred just stared at Don. Mrs. VanBuren was taken aback by the
question. All Fred could do was clear his throat so as to get Mrs. VanBuren’s
attention just as Dr. VanBuren walked into the room.
    Mrs. VanBuren didn’t answer Don’s question. She just turned to her
husband. “These detectives are here to talk to us about what happened to
Raven,” she said with raised eyebrows that puzzled Don for a moment.
    It was as if it were a signal between the two, but what it meant,
neither detective knew.
    Fred cleared his throat. “Let’s get this straight, she hasn’t been
positively identified yet.”
    “But it was her car,” Mrs. VanBuren started to say but then was cut
off by her husband.
    “Yeah, who else could it possibly be,” Dr. VanBuren said almost like
he dared them to believe otherwise.
    “I’m sure DNA will prove who it is. Until then we have to assume it’s
your daughter,” Fred said.
    Don turned to the doctor. “How could your daughter afford the place
she lived in?” he asked. “It’s pretty ritzy for a single woman.”
    The doctor shook his head and just stared at Don as if not believing
he’d asked such a question.
    “What does that have to do with what happened to my daughter?” he
snapped.
    Mrs. VanBuren quickly scolded Don with a look that could have killed.
“She had a good job.”
    Fred stared at her for the longest time and then frowned. “How could
she possibly keep up the payments?”
    Both parents seemed a little perturbed by this line of questioning. It
was Dr. VanBuren who motioned to his wife not to say more.
    “My wife’s parents left Raven a large trust. Anything else you want to
know, I think we should have our attorney present.”
    Mrs. VanBuren held up her hand as if to stop her husband. “Harry, that
won’t be necessary,” she said as she turned to Don, while Dr. VanBuren just
glared at Fred.
    “I will not have you imply my daughter was kept,” he snapped and then
took a deep breath while trying to regain control of his demeanor. “She was a
good person. Raven worked long hours for the Senator.”
    Don glanced at the pictures on the mantel and then at Mrs. VanBuren.
    “What do you know about Senator Maxfield?”
    “She was not sleeping with him, if that’s what you’re asking!” Dr.
VanBuren snapped.
    Don was surprised at Dr. VanBuren’s bluntness about his daughter’s
personal life. He would have liked to believe what he said about his daughter.
    Mrs. VanBuren laughed and then quickly cut in. “I think to understand
their relationship, you have to know that Willie was married to Raven’s best
friend.”
    “Point being?” Fred asked, with a mocking laugh that didn’t sit well
with Raven’s parents.
    “I raised a good, moral daughter,” Mrs. VanBuren snapped while looking
sternly at Fred. “She didn’t sleep around. Senator Maxfield and Raven were
working on,” she suddenly stopped when she saw the look on her husbands face.
    Dr. VanBuren turned to his wife quickly and looked sternly at her.
“Beatrice!”
    Mrs. VanBuren stopped and said no more. Don turned and stared at the
two for the longest time without saying a word. His face flushed as he took a
quick step forward.
    “If you’re holding back on a murder investigation. We’ll have you both
charged with obstruction of…”
    Fred stepped between Don and Dr. VanBuren. “We may need to talk to you
again,” was all he said and then turned to Don in a way that told him not to
speak.
    Dr. VanBuren reached in his pocket for a business card. He handed it
to Fred, who in turn gave it to Don.
    “Then I suggest you give my attorney a call.